Workpiece positioning mechanism for brushmaking machine



Jan. 21, 1969 H. J. HAzELToN WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FORBRUSIIIVIAKIIIC MACHINE Sheet of 7 Filed May l0, 1966 Jan. 2l, 1969 H.J. HAZELTON WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE S@figli, l @u e@ wm ww www@ VE www( Aww Nw mw C h? l- C Jan. 21, 1969 H.J. HAzELToN WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE 3of 'i Sheet Filed May lO, 1966 Jan. 21, 1969 H. J. HAzELroN 3,423,128

WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR BRUSHMKING MACHINE SheetI Filed MaylO, 1966 Jan. 2l, 1969 H. J. HAZELTON 3,423,128

WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANIS'M FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE Sheet 5 of?Filed May l0, 1966 Sheet 6 of?v Jan. 21, 1969 H. J. HAzELToN WORK PIECEPOSITIONING MECHAISM FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1966 Jan. 21,1969 y H. J. HAZELTON WORK PIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR BRUSHMAKINGMACHINE Sheet Filed May lO, 1966 United States Patent 3,423,128WORKPIECE POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR BRUSHMAKING MACHINE Harold J.Hazelton, Batavia, Ill., assignor to Carlson Tool & Machine Co., acorporation of Illinois Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 548,929 U.S. Cl.300--11 Int. Cl. B26b 1/20; A46d 3/08 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSUREThis application relates to brushmaking machines and more particularlyto an improvement in the mechanism for actuating the brush holders of abrushmaking machine.

Common brush machine operation may require movement of the brush blanksto be fabricated in several different directions relative to thedrilling and tufting -means which work upon the brush blank. First it isdesirable that the brush blanks be mounted for movement toward and awayfrom the drillers and tufters. Typically this movement is in a verticalplane. In addition, in order to drill and tuft along the length of thebrush, it is necessary that movement generally longitudinally of theblank and of the brush machine be provided. To form a plurality ofside-'by-side rows for the bristles, it is also necessary that lateralmovement relative to the machine be imparted to the brush blank.

Further movement is necessary in the case of brushes which have acontour, such as a hair brush or the like. In such a case, it isdesirable to be able to rock the brushes from side to side or pivot themon their mountings so that drilling and tufting to produce a brush withflared bristles may be accomplished. To this end, this invention isdirected to an improved means for imparting angular displacement to abrush blank relative to its mounting at a working station so thatsuitable drilling and tufting operations may be performed on the brushto produce a brush having a flared bristle coniguration.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improvedbrushmaking machine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a brushmakingmachine having improved means for mounting a brush blank for movement inthree planes and for pivoting about an axis, all of said movementscapable of being accomplished independently of each other.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a brushmaking machinehaving improved means for imparting angular displacement to a brushblank held at a working station, wherein the degree of angulardeflection imparted to the |brush blank responsive to the pivotingthereof may be easily changed to produce brush blanks having differentdegrees of ared bristle configuration.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a brushmaking machine including themechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the work table of thebrushmaking machine shown in FIGURE 1;

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FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of a portion of the work table shownin FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary partially broken front elevational view of thework table utilized with the brushmaking machine shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a section view taken generally along the line 5 5 of FIGURE2 substantially showing the work table in end elevation;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view partially |broken awayin section of an end portion of the work table;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the central portionof the work table;

FIGURE 8 -is a section View taken generally along the line 8 8 of FIGURE7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view illustrating the degree of movementimparted to a brush blank held in a working station when the levermember is in one position; and

FIGURE l0 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 showing the degree of movementimparted to a brush blank of a diiferent configuration when the levermember of this invention is in another position.

FIGURE 1 shows a brushmaking machine 10 generally made in accordancewith the prior art and including a pair of spaced uprights 12 andsuitable cross members 14 deiining a frame for supporting the severalworking components of the machine including fabricating means such asdrillers 16a and tufters 16b for drilling and tufting brush 'blanks 18held at working stations of the machine. Motor 20 is connected throughsuitable drive train mechanism to a shaft 22 which in turn is suitablyconnected to tufting means 16b for operating the same. Motor 20 is alsooperatively connected to a ratchet and pawl mechanism 24 whichintermittently turns a shaft 26. Cams 28 are mounted on shaft 26 and areutilized to impart diiferent directional movement to components of themachine. In addition, a motor means 30 is provided for operatingdrillers 16a.

Commonly, brushmaking machines are provided with means for assisting inproper registration of the fabricating means with the brush blank suchas a hole iinder 31 and template 31a (FIGURE 1). Brush machine 10 isprovided with a bridge 32 which generally supports structure mountingthe brush blanks in a position to be worked upon by the fabricatingmeans. Bridge 32 comprises two spaced members 32a and 32h whichgenerally span the lateral extent of the machine between uprights 14.Members 32a and 32b are joined together at each end Iby members 33a and33h. Each end of bridge 32 has generally upright rails 34 mounted onmembers 33a and 33b and arranged to track in channels 36 formed inupright guides 38 thereby mounting the bridge for movement in agenerally vertical plane.

Forward motion base plates 40 extend transversely across bridge 32 formounting forward motion posts 42. Bushing means 44 are telescoped abouteach of the posts 42, each of which includes a pair of spaced bushingblocks 44a and a pair of bushing seal retainers 44b. Each pair of spacedbushing blocks supports a bushing bar 45 which transversely spans bridge32 generally parallel to plate 40 and spaced vertically thereabove.

A table means, preferably comprising an elongate metal plate 46, issecured to the underside of the several bushing bars 45. Plate 46 has afront to rear depth generally co-extensive with the distance betweeneac'h of the bushing blocks 46 of a pair and laterally spans bridge 32.Preferably this plate is provided with forwardly and rearwardlydepending skirts or lianges 46a and 4617, respectively, which abut theinside faces of the pairs of bushing blocks on each post 42 andgenerally span the distance between port means includes a base bar 62secured to the table 46 is mounted for movement in the brushmakingmachine in a vertical path through the provision of the verticallymovable -mounting of bridge 32 and is also mounted for movementlongitudinally of the brushmaking machine (or in a forwardly-rearwardlypath in the direction of posts 42) by virtue of the slidable mounting ofposts 42 relative to bushings 44a. Thus anything attached to table 46will also be moved vertically or longitudinally through thesearrangements whenever suitable means are actuated for imparting theaforesaid motion to these components.

The table means further includes a plurality of lateral movement bushingblocks 48, secured to the top of the plate 46 at laterally spacedintervals. These bushing blocks 48 extend generally transversely ofbridge 32 and plate 46 and generally parallel to posts 42 and provide ameans for slidably supporting spaced lateral motion rods 50. Rods 50 areclamped in rod clamps 52 secured to the underside of a pair of spacedtransversely extending table shifting bars 54 by fastening means 56.Preferably four rods 50 are utilized, a spaced pair of these rodsextending in from each end towards the center where they terminate inspaced relationship to each other. The slidable mounting arrangement ofrods 52 in blocks 48 provides a means for mounting bars 54, and anystructure secured thereto, for movement laterally relative to themachine and to the drillers 16a and tufters 16b.

Brush support means 60 are mounted to the table shifting bars 54 toprovide a means for pivotally mounting brush blanks 18 in a fabricatingposition. Each brush support means includes a base bar 62 secured to thetable shifting bars 54 by suitable fastening means and extending in agenerally forwardly-rearwardly direction. An upright end member 66 ismounted at one end of bar 62 and `has an opening 66a, and at the otherend an upright end member 68 is mounted, having an end opening 68agenerally in axial alignment with opening 66a. These openings 66a and68a provide a means for pivotally mounting a brush holder 70 so that abrush blank held in the holder may 'be provided with suitable drilledopenings and subsequently tufted bristles when the holder is pivoted(responsive to means to be later explained) during the drilling andtufting operation to thereby produce a brush having flared bristles.

Each brush holder 70 includes a base plate 72 and generally upright endplates 76 and 78 adjacent end plates 66 and 68, respectively. Eachholder 70 further includes a pair of brush blank gripping members 79 and80, at least one of which is slidably related to the holder. Both ofthese gripping members have portions which generally embrace portions ofthe configuration of a brush blank to provide a means for gripping andholding the blank. The particular configuration of the holders is not apart of this invention and generally such holder means are Well known inthe art and thus will not be described in greater detail herein.

Pivot pins 81 are positioned in openings 66a and 76a to pivotally mountholders 70 to supports 60 at the forward end of the table. Pivot pins82, which extend through openings 68a and 78a to provide a pivotalmounting for holders 70 at the other end of supports 60, have anenlarged end with laterally projecting ear portions 82a. These earportions are provided with openings 82h to receive a suitable fasteningmeans 83. Fasteners 83 also extend through openings in tenon members 84to attach the same to pins 82. Tenons 84 are constructed to be receivedin mortisted arbor adapters 85 which are secured in arbors 86 by pins87.

Each arbor 86 has reduced shank portions 86a, 86h, and 86C and athreaded end 88. The arbors are rotatably mounted in bearings 89positioned generally around shank portions 86a and 86C and fitted inopenings 90 in housings 92. Each housing 92 is secured to a riser bar 93which is supported on the rear ends of bushing blocks 48 thereby makinghousings 92, bar 93 and related structures part of the table means. Locknuts 94a and 94h are threaded on the threaded end of the arbors tosecure the same in the housing.

The central portion 86b of the arbors mounts gear 96 which is in meshingengagement with a rack 98 positioned in notch 100 on the underside ofhousing 92. Rack 98 extends transversely of the machine, generallyparallel to and spaced from plate 46 and bridge 32. Movement of thisrack will cause rotation of the several arbors 86 and therefore turneach brush holder 70 to turn brush blanks held therein from side toside.

Rack 98 is movably supported on a plurality of spaced rollers 102. Eachroller 102 is secured on the shank (not shown) of a roller pin 104 whichextends through an opening in a rank roller mounting block 105 attachedto the underside of each housing 92. Pin 104 has a nut portion 104awhich is positioned on one side of mounting block 105 and a threaded end104b which extends through the other side of mounting block 105 andreceives a lock nut 106 to secured the pin in block 105 holding the rackroller in a supporting position on the underside or rack 98.

In order to rotate the arbors and therefore pivot the several brushholders 70 from side to side, means 110 are provided for impartinglateral movement to the rack. This means includes a lever member,generally indicated 112, comprising a lever arm 114 having a pair ofgenerally centrally positioned openings 114a and 114b for receivingbushing means 116 to pivot arm 114 relative to a lever supporting base118 mounted on bars 54.

At one end, arm 114 is pivoted at 120 to connecting link 122 whichextends into a slot 124 in riser bar 93. Link 122 is pivoted at itsopposite end 125 to a rack block 126 which is secured by lfasteners 128to rack 98. By Ivirtue of this arrangement, as arm 114 is pivoted aboutbushing 116, lateral motion will be imparted to rack 98.

At its other end, arm 114 is pivoted at 130 to connecting link 132 whichis pivoted at its opposite end, as at 134, to a side motion pivot bar orcross bar 136. Bar 136 is secured to a pair of side motion rods 138 byfastening means 140. Rods 138 extend generally parallel to rods 50through the bushing blocks 48 to the inside of rod clamps 52. These rodsalso slidably extend through openings 142 in a table shift cross bar 144fastened to table shifting mounting bar 54 by fastening means 146.

At the opposite end (see FIGURE l), these bars 138 are secured togetherby a tie block means 148 slotted at 150 to receive the lupstanding post152 which extends transversely upwardly through arcuate slot 153. Post152 is connected to block 154 mounted on the free end of a rod 156 ofpiston and cylinder device 158 which serves as a `means for holdinglinkage and its follower against the periphery of side motion cam 26. Asshaft 26 rotates cam 28, suitable linkage in following engagement withcam 28 (well known in the art and not shown herein) and connected topost 152 will shift post 152 in slot 153 to laterally move rods 138causing lever arm 114 to pivot about its bushing 116, and through theconnection with link 122 and rack block 126, impart lateral movement torack 98. This lateral movement, in turn, through the meshing engagementof rack 98 with the several gears 96, will rotate arbors 86 which willcause the brush holders 70 to pivot in their respective mountings inbrush supports 60 to thereby deect brush blanks from side to side andpermit suitable openings to be bored, and tufting to be inserted intothe openings, to produce a brush having a side flared bristleconfiguration. Through the aforedescribed arrangement this shiftingmovement and change in the angular disposition of the brush holders canbe accomplished independently of any other motion imparted to the table.

For shifting the table laterally, a piston and cylinder device 162 issecured to the underside of plate 46. Rod 164 of piston and cylinderdevice 162 is connected at its free end to a yoke 166 which extendsthrough opening 168 in plate 46 and is secured to table shift cross bar144. Since bar 144 is secured to table shifting bars 54, as piston andcylinder device 162 is actuated to move rod 164 inwardly and outwardlyrelative to the cylinder, this movement, in turn, will be transmittedinto lateral shifting of the several brush support means 60 mounted onbars 54. This lateral movement will have no effect upon means 110 sincerods 13S are slidably mounted in brushing blocks 48 and cross bar 144.Thus lever 112 is undisturbed as rods 50 impart lateral movement to bars54 and therefore Support means 60. The tenon 84 and mortised adapter 85permit the arbors 86 to engage different brush holders 70 as the lateralshifting takes place to alternately place half of the brush supports ina working position and the other half idle so that brush blanks may bemoved relative to the idle supports.

A plurality of forward motion posts 172 are secured to a base 174 whichextends between some of the housings 92. These posts have a forward endportion with an opening 176 to provide a means for pivotal securement toan arm (not shown) which arm, at its opposite end, may have a followerportion in engagement with one of the cams 28. By means of thisarrangement, motion of the table in a forwardly-rearwardly direction maybe irnparted so that the table will move in and out on its mounting onbars 42. Since tie block 148 is slotted to allow for such movement, thisin and out movement will have no effect upon the means 110 for movingthe rack laterally to impart the pivotal motion to the arbor andtherefor to the brush holders. Furthermore, this slotted arrangement oftie block 148 permits the vertical movement imparted through bridge 38to also have no effect upon means 110.

It is to be understood that the lever arm 114 could be provided withseveral openings such as 114a and 11417 to establish the pivotalmounting of the lever arm to the base 118. The arrangement shownprovides a means for pivoting the brush blanks in their holders whichmeans may be easily and readily adjusted so that brushes of differentflared configurations may be produced by the machine. Formerly thechanges in angular deflection of a brush blank w'ere accomplishedfbyreplacing the gears 96 on arbors 86. Changing these gears required thatthe machine be shut down for a substantial period of time and thatpartial disassembly take place. However, with the aid of the novel means110 of this invention for imparting lateral movement to the rack, suchchanges may be easily made by merely changing the pivotal mounting ofthe lever 114. This is best illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10. FIGURE 9shows the cross-sectional configuration of a brush blank 18a which willhave a wide angle flare as indicated by the arcs X. Such a flare will beproduced when the bushing 116 is positioned in opening 114b of lever arm114 as is shown in FIGURE 7. Where a brush blank 18b of a differentconfiguration is to be worked upon, as is shown in FIGURE 10, it may bedesirable to produce a brush having a lesser degree of flare asindicated by the arcs Y in FIGURE l0. This can be accomplished bychanging the pivotal mounting of the lever 114 to opening 114a. It canbe readily appreciated that providing more openings in the lever armwould further increase the versatility of this brushmaking machine.

Another advantage of the use of the lever arrangement is to maintain areasonable ratio between the configuration of the cam from which lateralmotion is imparted and the; amount of flare which is desired on a brushback. The alternate points 114a and 114b permit a wide variation in theamount of flare without requiring changes in the configuration of thecam. Using one pivot point, wide angle flare 4motion may be impartedfrom a cam having a peripheral configuration which is not greatlyexaggereated between its major and minor points. Using another pivotpoint, small flare angle displacement may be imparted -using a -camwherein the peripheral configuration has more than just minuteperipheral irregularities which might be too sensitive for desiredresults.

This invention provides a novel arrangement for imparting severaldirectional movements to a brush blank held at a work station in abrushmaking machine. In particular, the brush blank may be pivoted inits mounting in the brush holder by the novel structure disclosed hereinand this movement may be accomplished independent of the other threeplanar movements imparted to the brush holder. In addition, themechanism for pivoting the brush holder is so constructed and secured tothe other structure of the -work table as to provide a facile and rapidmeans for changing the degree of deliection imparted to the brushholders.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. In a brushmaking Imachine having a frame and a plurality of brushholders pivoted to the frame for holding brush blanks during fabricationthereof, means for pivoting brush holders and the blanks held therein,to permit production of brushes with a flared bristle configurationcomprising: a lever member pivoted to the frame; gear means on the frameconnected to the lever means for movement of the gear means responsiveto movement of the lever means; brush holder pivoting gears in operableengagement with the gear means for movement of the brush holder pivotinggears responsive to movement of the gear means and the means on at leastone of said pivoting gear and said brush holders for selectivelyconnecting said brush holders to said pivoting gear for actuationthereof.

2. The brush holder pivoting means of claim 1 wherein the lever has aplurality of pivot points for changing the degrees of movement impartedto the brush holder pivoting gear and therefore changing the deliectionof the brush holders responsive to movement of the lever.

3. The brush holder pivoting means of claim 1 wherein the connectingmeans on the brush holder and the pivoting gear are complementaryslidably engageable members on each of the pivoting gears and brushholders for connecting the brush holders to the pivoting gears as thebrush holder is moved laterally in a plane generally transversely tothat of the pivotaing gear.

4. In a brushmaking machine having a base, a bridge mounted in said basefor movement in a first plane, a table mounted on said bridge formovement in a second plane, a frame mounted on said table for movementin a third plane, and a plurality of brushholders mounted on the framefor movement with the frame and pivotal movement relative to the frame,means for pivoting the brush holders, comprising; a lever member pivotedto the frame; gear means connected to the lever for movement responsiveto movement of the lever; brush holder pivoting gears in the frameoperably connected to the gear means for movement of the pivoting gearsresponsive to movement of the gear means; and mutually engageableconnecting means on said brush holders and said pivoting gears forselectively connecting said brush holders and pivoting gears as saidbrush holders are moved relative to the pivoting gears responsive tomovement of the frame.

5. The `brush holder of pivotaing means of claim 3, wherein the leverhas a plurality of pivoting points for changing the degree of deflectionof the holder responsive to movement of the lever.

6. The brush holder of pivoting means of claim 4 wherein the connectionof the brush holders to the pivoting gears is a mortise and tenonconnection permitting shifting movement of the brush holders relative tothe pivoting gears.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,209,194 12/1916 Olsson 300-11GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, Primary Examiner.

